From the Base of the Mountain to the Bottom of the Ocean
by IantojJackh
Summary: Being half a world away for three months brings a bit of clarity and change in the sometimes forgotten one, Ianto Jones, and Jack uses Skype. But is Jack ready to handle those changes?


**Title**: From the Base of the Mountain to the Bottom of the Ocean  
Author: iantojjackh  
**Fandom**: Torchwood  
**Characters**: Ianto and Jack  
**Summary**: Being half a world away for three months brings a bit of clarity and change in the sometimes forgotten one, Ianto Jones and Jack uses Skype  
**Rating**: PG  
**Length**: 1549  
**Disclaimer**: See profile  
**Author notes:** written for fan-flashworks challenge: Flight. Many thanks to tardisjournal who betaed this on very short notice. Should I continue this with next challenge fight? 

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**_From the Base of the Mountain to the Bottom of the Ocean_**

Jack pouted as he watched Ianto on his computer screen, packing his bags. Skype had been a santiy-keeper for Jack the last three months while Ianto was in New Zealand, scouting locations for a new branch of Torchwood. He had been sent at the personal request of the Queen when Rift-like energy had been detected near Mt. Taranaki.

"Jack you've got to stop pouting. I leave tomorrow. I'll be in Cardiff in no time." Ianto explained, unable to control the laugh at the adorableness that was Jack at this moment. It made what he had to do what he got back much more difficult than it already was.

"And it'll be a day more before you are home. Why did you have to go halfway around the world This last week has been hell. No sex for three months has been brutal."

Ianto's reaction was not something Jack had expected. "Yes, three months." There was a hint of a nervous laugh that made it seem like there was something hidden underneath it. Was Jack the only one who did not have sex in three months?

"Is something wrong?" Jack asked and then noticed the bag Ianto was packing was not nearly big enough to bring back everything he left with. "Isn't that bag on the small side? Didn't you leave with a lot more clothes?"

"I, umm," Ianto winced as he looked away from the computer. "I think this is something we need talk about in person."

"No, we will talk about this now," Jack raged, unsure where the burst of anger came from. It was as if his heart sank and began to crumble. It was never good news when someone wanted to talk in person instead of their current way of communicating.

"I'm not doing this now," Ianto said, as if there was no other option, and reached out to disconnect the call.

"Just answer me one question now. Why?" The betrayal on Jack's face was worse than when Ianto hid Lisa in the hub. Jack did not need Ianto to confirm he had met someone, the younger man's reaction said it all.

"Why, what?" Ianto played dumb and stopped short of breaking the connection.

"How could you do this?"

"Do what? It's not as if we were exclusive. Do I need to mention the names of your one-night stands?" Ianto retorted. His voice had no hint of the bitterness he once had over the matter. Not to mention it was an easy way to deflect the anger off of him.

"I told you when you left that it would only be you. No more sleeping around." Jack knew Ianto had put up with his wandering hands for a while, but never thought he'd be the one to do some wandering.

"You were serious?"

"Yes." Jack could not really blame Ianto, but it did not mean he was not hurt by this turn of events.

"This wasn't something I planned..."

"It just happened. I never took you for the clichéd type, Ianto."

"It's the truth. It's nice to feel loved and appreciated once in a while. I'm no one's gopher here." Ianto said with a heavy sigh. It was the truth. It had been better the last few years but there were still moments where Ianto was harshly reminded of the pecking order that would always be there.

Jack screamed out of frustration, unable to comprehend why Ianto still felt that way; but one look at Ianto and Jack knew that's how Ianto really felt. Emotions like that could not be faked.

"And you are the worst offender and you don't see it. You might have thought it was cute and flirty, but most times it was degrading and made me feel dirty."

"What are you talking about? You never said anything." Jack felt foolish for not seeing what was in front of him and knew the resentment had to have been festering for a while. "You volunteered for this assignment, didn't you?" It all made sense now.

"Yes. Someone in the Palace owed me a favour and I asked them to make it look like an order from the Queen. You never read your emails and once I saw the message about a new branch I deleted it just in case you'd see the email. I just needed the break from everything." Ianto tried to explain, knowing whatever he said would sound wrong.

"So you want to make the break permanent? What if I won't let you go?" Jack sounded like a petulant child who refused to give up his favourite toy.

"I'd end up hating you. Besides the choice is out of your hands. The Queen approved my request to be in charge here. You wouldn't want to anger her by pulling rank would you?" Jack knew never to rock the boat too much when an order came from the Royal Family, especially the Queen.

"Sneaky bastard." Jack had to admire Ianto's underhanded tactics. "What if things don't work out with this person who has stolen you from me?"

"First off, I'm not someone's property, so I belong to no one." Ianto answered tersely. "And secondly, if that ever happens, I'll deal with it at that time. I should really be going, my flight leaves early in the morning."

Jack frowned with a nasty expression on his face. "Don't bother coming back. I'll just ship your things to you." In truth the hurt Captain did not want to see Ianto, afraid he'd make a fool of himself begging Ianto to change his mind. Jack Harkness was no fool.

"I have to pack up my flat. You can have Tosh box up my desk and leave the boxes at my place if you don't want me back at the hub." Ianto really did not want to end things like this, but if he was left with no choice he'd do it.

"I think it would be best if you don't come back to Wales at all." Jack snapped, no longer in the mood for civilised conversation.

"That's not fair." Ianto matched Jack's tone. "I have family there."

"Too bad. You screwed up and now you have to pay the consequences." Jack slammed the lid of his laptop down, disconnecting the call. He knew he had no right to tell Ianto he could not come home, but he lashed out in anger. He felt instant regret the moment he ended the call.

Ianto had been right about how he was treated by Jack and the rest of the team, but it would take a long time for Jack to realise that he had no one to blame but himself. It was Ianto's time to shine and finally come into his own.

The next day when the rest of the team came in, Jack's sullen mood was evident.

"What's wrong?" Tosh asked several hours later, - as she finally paid Jack a visit and placed a mug of coffee the boss' desk. "Ianto's coming home tomorrow, I thought you'd be excited."

"He's not staying. Ianto's going to run the New Zealand branch. He's coming back to get his things. Apparently, he feels loved and appreciated there. I told him not to come back."

Tosh winced, understanding where her friend was coming from and at the same time feeling bad for Jack. "You loved him, didn't you?"

"And I never got to tell him. I missed that chance." Pouting suited Jack.

"No, you didn't. You can tell Ianto when he comes back. Try to change his mind. Show Ianto you are serious."

Owen came rushing into Jack's office, paler than a sheet. "The plane...it crashed." The doctor struggled to catch his breath. He turned his tablet to show Jack and Tosh the headline.

"No!" All colour drained from Jack's face as he read the headline about a London- bound plane that had just crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on its approach into Heathrow.

It was not just any flight, it was flight Ianto was supposed to be on. Jack's chance to win back Ianto was now at the bottom of the Atlantic, never to see the light of day again.

However, fate threw Jack for a curve when several days later he went to Ianto's flat for one last goodbye. What he saw when he entered the door made Jack freeze and his jaw and stomach drop to the ground. Ianto stood there in his kitchen wrapping dishes in bubble wrap as if nothing was wrong.

"What? How?" Jack asked unable to string together any other coherent thoughts and words.

"Took a later flight." Ianto replied. He had assumed that Jack and the others would have checked the flight manifest and realised he was not on the flight that had crashed. Or would have at least called his sister and learned from Rhiannon that he was alive and had decided at the last minute to postpone his flight a day.

Jack smiled brightly as if a weight had been lifted off him as his second...more like fifth chance had come to pass. "You came back?"

Ianto opened his mouth to answer, but a toilet flushed giving Jack the answer he needed, since the packing had failed to register with him.

Ianto still planned to leave. 


End file.
